Once again, the weather looks questionable for a group ride Saturday, so we’re going to ride to Edina via the Minnesota Valley State Trail on Sunday morning. The ride will start from Rosemount at 08:00 and we’ll have a mid-ride stop at Hyland Lake Park Reserve. The weather Sunday will be cool, for this time of year, with temps in the 60s, partly cloudy skies, and 15 mph wind from the northwest.

“I’d like to implore people to think a little more about group safety” said Melissa in an email to the group. The need to write that message says to me that we can and must do better, and I hope it means the same to you. State statute 169.222 says that riders “shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.” It scares me when I see riders near or left of the fog line, when there’s an 8-foot shoulder that they could safely use and cars are traveling at high speed in both directions. A large group may be easier for drivers to see, but it doesn’t make any of us immune from being hit. And, never cross over the center line.

When riding in a group, you have to think about everyone in the group, not just yourself. Our group rides are not races or a place to show off how strong you are. You should be observing and thinking about others who appear to be struggling to keep up, so you can ask others to slow down or drop back to give them a pull back to the group. Whenever you're near the front, you should be looking back to ensure that the group is together so you can adjust the pace when needed, especially when there are crosswinds.

Drivers get nervous when they see cyclists at intersections, because too many of us are unpredictable, so don't give them a reason to get mad at you. When crossing an intersection, think about whether it's safe for the whole group to cross. It may be safer to wait for a few more vehicles than to split the group and confuse the drivers. Let's all do better.

USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships are being held again this weekend in Knoxville, TN. FloBikes will broadcast the criterium and road races. You should also be able to watch the racing on Tiz-Cycling.